Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1949

Gaylen

Gender Unisex · 15% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists
Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Gaylen
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1949
104 babies
All-time total
2,373
#3,275 all-time among boys
First recorded
1915
in Social Security records

Gaylen popularity over time

2,373 babies have been named Gaylen since 1915, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.020.040.060.0818801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – 35 35 4 – #2,603
1920s – 130 130 13 +271% #1,539
1930s 6 272 278 28 +114% #994
1940s 96 466 562 56 +102% #710
1950s 120 568 688 69 +22% #764
1960s 56 295 351 35 -49% #1,179
1970s 14 159 173 17 -51% #1,723
1980s 19 52 71 7 -59% #4,018
1990s 37 38 75 8 +6% #6,777
2000s – 10 10 1 -87% #11,474
2010s – – – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – – – –

The story of Gaylen

Gaylen is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1915, 2,373 American babies have been named Gaylen, about 85% boys and 15% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1949, when 104 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1940s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Gaylen stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Gaylen?

The median living Gaylen is about 68 years old; half are between 58 and 75. An estimated 1,500 people named Gaylen are alive in the United States today.

median 68 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Gaylen year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – – –
2024 – – – –
2023 – – – –
2022 – – – –
2021 – – – –
2020 – – – –
2019 – – – –
2018 – – – –
2017 – – – –
2016 – – – –
2015 – – – –
2014 – – – –
2013 – – – –
2012 – – – –
2011 – – – –
2010 – – – –
2009 – – – –
2008 – – – –
2007 – – – –
2006 – – – –
2005 – – 5 #12,031
2004 – – – –
2003 – – 5 #11,474
2002 – – – –
2001 – – – –
2000 – – – –
1995 6 #12,287 – –
1990 – – 5 #8,575
1985 5 #11,218 5 #6,906
1980 – – 7 #5,127
1975 – – 21 #2,157
1970 6 #7,361 26 #1,723
1965 5 #6,848 30 #1,417
1960 15 #3,261 38 #1,278
1955 14 #3,136 54 #1,027
1950 10 #3,509 81 #764
1945 13 #2,513 35 #1,109
1940 – – 30 #1,237
1935 – – 35 #1,108
1930 – – 17 #1,850
1925 – – 14 #2,237
1920 – – 10 #2,846
1915 – – 6 #3,566
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Gaylen, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Gaylen?

The median living Gaylen is about 68 years old. Half of all living Gaylens are between 58 and 75 years old.

How many people named Gaylen are alive today?

An estimated 1,500 people named Gaylen are alive in the United States, based on 2,373 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Gaylen in 2025?

Gaylen did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Gaylen?

2,373 babies have been named Gaylen in the United States since 1915, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Gaylen most popular?

Gaylen peaked in 1949, when 104 newborns received the name.

Is Gaylen a boy or girl name?

Gaylen is used for both: about 15% of babies named Gaylen have been girls and 85% boys.

Is the name Gaylen rising or falling?

Gaylen has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Names like Gaylen

Names that sound and feel close to Gaylen: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Gaylen with similar names → More names starting with G →